


Unattainable Passion

by orphan_account



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Alternate Universe, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26118895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: NON- STEP SIBBLING Alternate RealityCasey Mcdonald graduated with top honours from Queens, and has an interview working with Venturi Firm, the best law company in the country. Casey meets the CEO, Derek Venturi, a rich and powerful man who inherited his father's business. At first she is charmed by his dark eyes, and easy smile. Until he opened his mouth. Derek seems unimpressed by her credetials or her glowing recommendations. He begrudgenly hires her, but soon enough she realizes working for Derek Venturi would come with constant put downs, constant sarcasm, and he seemed to take delight in making her flustered. Despite all that, she cannot seem to leave. She needed to prove Derek Venturi wrong, and becomes obsessed with figuring out why Derek was so guarded and and unattainable. Fighting turns to burning desire, and soon realizes proximity to Derek could be the most dangerous place to be.
Relationships: Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi
Comments: 20
Kudos: 17





	1. Devil's Interview

Casey sat in the waiting room, taking in her surroundings with awe, excitement and intense nervousness. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to control her nerves. She had been in school for six years, and worked hard to get where she was, but she couldn't help feeling a little insecure. She graduated with top honors in Law, and when she got a call from an HR employee to tell her she was selected for an interview she had to contain herself from squealing. _Venturi Firm_ was one of the largest firms, and the Venturi family was known for being rich and extremely ambitious. Yet George Venturi built an empire that became the envy of many people, he may have had a reputation that was cutthroat and merciless, but his firm was highly prestigious. Casey prided herself in researching a company, and she made sure to study the history with a flea comb. The firm had just been passed down to his son, Derek. There was little information on Derek, other then he was admired by women, and had a reputation for being egocentric. She didn't mind an egocentric CEO as long as he didn't mess with her work. Casey watched the receptionist with keen interest. She was almost a half hour early, but she needed the time to calm her nerves.

"Miss Mcdonald, would you like some coffee or tea while you wait?" Melody Simmons asked sweetly, giving her a curt but sympathetic smile. Melody was young, had fiery long red hair, and round green eyes. She seemed very approachable, and charming. As she looked over her computer, Casey shook her head slowly. 

"No, thank you. But if it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to ask, I would like to know if I'm being interviewed by HR, or Mr. Venturi," she bit her lip nervously.

Melody assessed her slowly, and gave her a comforting smile. "Normally HR would do the interviews, but Mr. Venturi is doing them since he's so new taking on the company. He wants to be involved as much as possible."

Casey felt the word vomit come up before she could stop it as a jolt of nausea wrecked her. "I know this is going to sound bizarre, but I want to know a little bit about Derek Venturi. I couldn't find much information, and I just need to be prepared."

Melody looked around, as if she was trying to make sure there was no one eavesdropping. "Unfortunately, I can't give you personal details, but I can give you a vague description if you'd like," Melody's voice was heavy with mischief despite wanting to keep a professional stance.

Casey was already beating herself up internally, "Please, I just want to do a well. Getting this job would mean the world to me."

Melody waved her hand swiftly, "No I completely understand. I felt the same way when I got hired, and it's always great to be the most prepared as possible. You seem like a hardworking gal, so I'll help you out a little bit. " Melody looked towards the door where Derek's office was and noticed a blush go over her cheeks. "Derek Venturi is charming, but don't let that exterior deceive you. He seems to have something to prove since he got handed an entire company, and while he worked hard to prove his skill, he clearly is determined to keep the quality of this company the same as with his father. He's tenacious, clever, and from what I've seen is quite persuasive. He is young, and absolutely...." Melody stopped, looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I went off on a tangent there," and just like that Melody snapped back to the work in front of her. "I'm sure you will charm him no problem, he's generally quite pleasant with women. He may be a lot of things, but he's never treated any woman here poorly."

Casey felt a wave of relief at hearing that. A lot of men in Law were extremely sexist, and she had gone through her fair share of mistreatment. Clearly Melody seemed to respect Derek Venturi despite his "egocentric" reputation. She felt herself relax, and excused herself to freshen up one more time. Casey was a perfectionist, she admitted that to herself. This interview was a rare opportunity, as it was unheard of that someone right out of school gets an interview due to the extreme competitiveness. She studied herself in the mirror. She definitely had the lawyer look down. Her hair was meticulously styled, the dark her was put up in to a professional updo. She wore some makeup, but it was toned down, and classy with a little bit of pink on her lips. Her blue eyes shone with sheer excitement. The navy pant suit and blazer made her look sophisticated and polished. Thank goodness her father was a lawyer, she got all the tips from him. Six years of grueling work, of driving her friends and mom and her sister, Lizzie, absolutely mad got her to this place. She was a nightmare, and was thankful for all the support she ever got. She gave her reflection an encouraging nod and went back to the waiting room.

Time seemed to move slowly, and she kept her eyes locked on that door. Finally she heard the clicking noise of the door opening. She took a deep breath as it swung open. Derek Venturi was a presence. He seemed to move with a confidence that completely robbed her of thoughts. He glanced over at Melody, clearly he hadn't noticed her yet. "Is she here?" 

Casey couldn't help but stare. He was handsome, frighteningly so. His dark hair was cut into short layers, the gray tuxedo made him look extremely polished. She noticed his smile, it was dazzling. She could see a dimple on full display, and was completely fixated. His voice sounded deep, but infectious. It was the kind of voice that could make someone just grovel all over him. She caught herself as her thoughts alarmed her. Melody clearly found him attractive, she noticed her shy smile, completely different to the charming welcome she'd received. Melody motioned towards her direction, and slowly Derek's attention went to her. His eyes made her breath catch in her throat, she'd never seen eyes like that before. Dark brown eyes, that swirled with glints of ember, warmth, but also crackled with an intensity that spoke of an innate confidence and charisma. 

Casey made her mind work and got to her feet, felt herself frantically trying to remember professional etiquette. She reached out her hand, and managed to open her mouth. "Hello Mr.Venturi, I'm Casey Mcdonald. Thank you so much for the opportunity to meet with you today," her hand was out and he just stared at her. She questioned if she had done something wrong. Derek smiled slowly and reached for her hand, shaking politely. The warmth of his hand spread through her.

"Miss Mcdonald," he said with slow articulation, as if he was trying to process her name. "Please follow me," and he turned away from her. Casey took a deep breath and glanced over at Melody, who gave her an encouraging nod. She walked into his office, it was large, and decorated in a modern way that could have easily passed as an entire apartment. 

Derek went to his desk and sat down, opening up her file. He didn't look at her, so she slowly made her way to sit across from him. Silence hummed through the air, but there were layers of something else under the surface. Did she make a horrible first impression? Derek made a little sound of disappointment and shook his head. She couldn't believe it, he was thoroughly unimpressed by her. It wasn't that she had an over inflated ego, but she knew the type of work she put into the last six years. He was reading her reference letters with a stony expression. He slowly looked up, she was confused by his odd demeanor. When she introduced herself, he smiled, and now he looked like a different person. He leaned forward on the desk, studying her with a mix of intrigue but alo veiled reservation.

"Would you like anything to drink?"

Casey shook her head politely, "I'm fine, thank you. Mr. Venturi, I just want you to know how honored I feel to be able to meet with you. The Venturi Firm has been my dream for years, it is the jewel of this country when it comes to Law."

Derek smiled a bit, but put out his hands in a dismissive nature. "Casey. I don't think there is any point to me interviewing you. You are not right for this firm."

Hearing him say her name caused her to feel hot and faint, and she looked at the papers on his desk, questioning what he saw that was not right. He caught her gaze and sighed.

"Casey, there's no denying you have many qualifications. You sound studious and driven, but I need to be honest. I'm sorry you wasted your time coming all the way here, but I don't see why HR called you. You don't have the experience needed for a firm like this one." Derek was looking at her seriously, and she felt herself becoming emotional, and she fought against the confusion swirling within her.

"Mr. Venturi," she said shakily. "I understand I am not the most experienced, but if you gave me ten minutes of your time, I would like to prove to you that I have what it takes to work for a firm of your caliber." Casey tried to speak with as much confidence as possible. "I know your firm is one of the best, and I am the type of person that needs to work for the best. Please, just give me a few minutes."

Derek formed a smirk and leaned back in his chair nonchalantly. He was quiet for a moment and then laughed. It broke the CEO image, as if someone else had stepped in. The sound of his laughter made her flustered, yet she couldn't find the humor in the situation. "I truly doubt it, just from what I can tell, you seem too ethical and good. You need to be willing to get dirty in this firm, and you seem like a total princess."

Casey's mouth hung open in complete surprise. So that was the real Derek, and for some reason she was the one woman he decided to treat poorly. Melody had spoken so well of him, she clearly never saw this side of him. How dare he assume she was too soft just from a glance? She was angry, but tried to keep her remarks to herself. "Let me convince you otherwise, I certainly don't think of myself that way."

Derek's eyes twinkled with mischief, and she was fuming, this was not what she expected. He was a CEO and he had just called her a princess, the jerk. He seemed to be fighting against amusement and laughter.

"That's cute," he said with sarcasm. "You were clearly a goody-good your entire life." Before she could respond he scoured over her resume, laughing swiftly. "You wrote about your love for school and education with the kind of passion only a keener could."

Casey wanted to be respectful, but she felt his insults sting her as if she had cuts all over and he was pouring salt endlessly. She felt the hot temper rise within her and she stood up defiantly.

"Mr. Venturi, clearly I was mistaken about you. I expected a man of respect, instead I'm faced with you. You are not what I had in mind either, and let me tell you, you would be lucky to have me. I am hard working, I am never afraid of a challenge. Sure, I can be too ethical at times, but why is that considered a bad thing? I want to make a difference, and help people who truly need it. With me, you get someone who would never turn their back on anyone. I am uniterested in power or position. My drive comes from helping others." She paced around the office, unable to look at him. She couldn't believe, she lost her mind. She just insulted the CEO without a second thought. It was too late to turn back now though.

"Integrity is hard to find these days, and believe me, lawyers that have that is rare to find. If I have to get dirty to prove my worth, then this is not the FirmI thought I once admired." Finally, she dared to look down at him. Her eyes blazed with dominance as she looked down at him. She knew she tanked the interview. She expected to see rage in his eyes, but he was staring at her blankly. Clearly he didn't expect her to put him in his place.

He was looking at her as if she was a strange creature that had dropped from the sky. He stood up and his gaze was unnaturally hypnotizing, and he was locked in on her. She couldn't read his expression, but she thought she could see a ghost of a smile forming in the corner of his mouth. "You've clearly never been rejected by the sounds of it," he said with icily. "You insulted me, there should absolutely be no reason for me to continue this interview, but clearly you're not as mousy as I thought. You're bold as hell." He moved away from his desk and moved to the front of it, leaning his body back against his desk, and folded his arms over his chest. 

Casey faltered, he was much closer than she would care for, and the insightful stare down was causing her to feel guilt. No matter what, she shouldn't have talked to him that way, everything he said was spot on, which is why it caused her to react. Everything he said were the very thoughts she told herself on the regular, why she was so hard on herself. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to make a good impression, and well your teasing came out of nowhere, I did not expect it. I'm not ever disrespectful, I swear, I'm sorry for insulting you." 

Derek smiled, the features of his face looked warm, and completely charming. He could kill someone with that smile, and she felt like the air was taken from her lungs. "Oh, I can believe you are never disrespectful. You look absolutely guilty."

Casey hung her head, needing to break the eye contact. She was too ashamed. "I'm sorry for wasting your time," she turned to leave but she heard him behind her.

"Casey wait," he said urgently. She stopped and turned around slowly. He wasn't looking at her, and seemed annoyed out of his mind. "Well, clearly you proved me wrong because you're not afraid to take a stand. If you could hold your own with me, then maybe there's hope for you after all."

Casey gasped, "Wait, was this a test?" She asked with complete surprise.

Derek shrugged playfully, and flashed another blistering smile. "Not entirely, but if it was you failed miserable. But guess what, I'm feeling generous. If you still want those ten minutes, they're yours." 

Casey's eyes illuminated, and she broke into a smile. She squealed with excitement, "Thank you. I swear if you hire me you will hardly see me."

Derek shook his head and moved back to the desk. "Trust me, I hardly like to play nice with people that insult me, but it's a large enough firm. But don't get ahead of yourself, this is just an interview. I truly hope you don't fail a second time," he said with a smothered laugh. 

She took her spot across from him and smiled vividly. "Just don't insult me, and we're golden," she joked, and then immediately regretted it. She couldn't have that kind of banter with him, it was so unprofessional, but he laughed. There seemed to be a blank new start. She felt a drive within her, she needed to convince him. Not just because she wanted to work at Venturi Firm, but because now he had set an ultimatum. She was never one to back down from any challenge, she was going to prove Derek wrong, if it was the last thing she did. 

* * *

Derek didn't know what he expected to find when he went out to look for Casey, but she was definitely not what he had in mind. Based on her resume, he imagined a bookworm, a nerd. Not that nerds were always ugly, but he was shocked by her. The first thing he noticed was her eyes, they were large and blue, brilliant with intelligence. She was beautiful, no not just beautiful, gorgeous. Her dark hair was pulled up into an updo, and he felt the need to take her hair down and see what her hair looked like over her shoulders and wanted to touch her hair. She had a sweet smile, had an air of innocence and she looked smart. He was momentarily distracted, and when she spoke all he wanted was pull her into him.

He looked down at her resume and tried to collect his thoughts. This woman scared the hell out of him, and he couldn't figure out why. He would have normally seduced a woman like her, and was fortunate enough to get anyone he wanted. But something about Casey throttled him, everything in him screamed she was a danger. Derek had grown up with rich parents, and his father always had huge expectations on him. He got things easily in life, always had, but then came the day when the fun stopped and the responsibility of carrying the family name crushed on him. He swore off any serious emotional connections. It was easier to just have flings than to ever become dependent on anyone. No one could be trusted especially with his status. He had to go through hell to get to that conclusion, and he refused to visit hell again.

And now Casey Mcdonald was in front of him. He was completely aware of her every move. Even as he looked down, he could still see her. He was aware of her anxious lip biting, her eyes focused on him like a laser. She smelled so good, and everything in him was fighting the urge to hit on her. The more he read her credentials, the more he felt that weird sensation. She was so smart, and accomplished, and he was impressed by her. He felt more alive just a few minutes in her presence, than he had in years. He couldn't have her working for him, she would become too much of a temptation. Casey wasn't at all like all the other girls he went off with. He made strict rules for himself, and couldn't get involved with his employees. Casey did not seem like a one night stand kind of girl and he preferred to have his conquests away from work.

Derek finally looked at her, and knew immediately. He couldn't have her close, didn't trust himself with her, and above all else there was an image to uphold in his new role. Yet he couldn't help but study her, she had keen interest in her eyes, a hopeful smile that was so light, but yet so devastatingly beautiful. Casey was so formal, and professional but he sensed a nervousness in her. Then it got worse, Casey's fascination with the firm and the way her eyes sparkled with genuine admiration was the last straw. He could just imagine having to walk past that smile every single day, how could he ever resist her? 

Then all of a sudden, he started pushing her away. He became a complete jerk, and he couldn't stop it. He had always been sarcastic by nature, but didn't recognize anything he was doing, and was fully aware that it was hurting her. It was suddenly the only defense available, and he grasped on to that with all he could. Casey looked at him with shock, and she was desperate to sway him. That only made him weaker, so his insults became more callous. He called her a princess, and mocked her for her ethical skills, but then came the surprise. She got up and gave him a look that made his blood boil rampantly. And then she was pacing around and insulting him back, and completely throwing the argument back in his face. Her bold and defiant display made him completely crazy. Casey was many things in one person, bookworm, blunt, gorgeous, kind, and unafraid to stand up for herself. She was clearly no push over. He could not believe he wasn't angry or upset, he was completely captivated. _Damn. I'm in deep trouble._ When she apologized for her words, it made him even more agitated. His initial gut feeling had been right, the more time he spent with her the more he felt a consuming desire go through him. One that he swore he would never allow ever again. But then he saw Casey walking away and his mouth betrayed his mind. He needed to spend a little more time with her.

Now Casey sat there once again, and he didn't know what to do. He spoke through the phone, "Melody, please cancel my next appointment. I owe Miss Mcdonald more time, and also if you could bring in coffee for her, I'd really appreciate it."

Casey grinned widely. Her lashes cast soft shadows on her cheeks. "So, I will get more than ten minutes then?"

Derek smirked, and couldn't help catch the full blown excitement flowing from her, it was contagious. "Don't get ahead of yourself. More time doesn't mean you will get the job. From what I can tell about you, I just know you will give very thorough answers."

Casey nodded with absolute pride. "That is something I've always prided myself in. I am thorough in everything I do, and detail oriented." 

Melody walked in with a tray of coffees, and handed her a cup, and then very gently put the other one in front of him. "Thank you, as always you are just so fantastic," he said cheerfully.

Melody blushed slightly, "Thank you, sir. Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, that is all for now, and cut the sir out, it makes me feel ancient." She laughed and turned away but not before winking at Casey and left abruptly.

His attention went back to Casey, she seemed to be observing him intensely. "Do I have something on my face?"

Casey looked down and took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry. It's just that you treated her so cordially, even sweet, and well with me you weren't."

"Melody has been here for years, trust me she's earned it. I was just honest with you, and you took offense to it." He couldn't even understand why he acted that way to begin with. "Also, I'm not here to treat anyone nice, if you want to work here, you're going to have to understand that I'm not expected to be sweet or kind to anyone. As long as you're doing your job, that's all I care about frankly."

She bit her lip, and he was distracted by it. She seemed to be agonizing over the mess of the interview so far. "Well, I don't need you to like me. I just need you to give me a chance. Mr. Venturi, I believe in helping those that don't seem to have a good defense, or the resources. I believe anyone has the right to a good lawyer despite money. I want to help disenfranchised communities."

Derek wrote down a few notes, smiling down at his notepad. Most of the people applying for that Firm always seemed to want the more flashy jobs, corporate law, criminal law being at the top. Yet Casey didn't seem power hungry. "What made you interested in that wing of law?"

Casey looked at him with a dazed expression. "My father is an incredible attorney, not only did he become one of the best, he is a very ethical man. I would see him taking cases for free at times, and he was always trying to be better. With so many cases, people can get lost in the shuffle, but he was always trying to find the best possible outcomes for his clients, even if it meant him receiving less. I want to be the same. Of course, I have professional goals, but the foundation of those goals still lie in always putting the client first. I am a perfectionist, Mr. Venturi, and sometimes that means I get in my head a lot, but I am also very emotionally driven. Believe me, those two things combine would make me an empathetic but hard working lawyer."

Bloody hell. Derek was conflicted. He wanted to hire her, but at the same time he had an insane desire to reach across that desk and kiss her. It was too confusing. He interviewed her for a whole hour, asking questions about her strengths, weaknesses, even threw in a couple personal questions. Casey liked to talk a lot, yet it didn't bother him. He found at times completely forgetting what they were talking about. He would get distraught by her smile, the colour of red on her cheeks when she became nervous, the way she spoke with such passion. When Casey was talking about the important issues, it was as if she was the only person in the room. And all through out, he kept the sarcastic jokes. He didn't have anything else to hide behind, it was either that, or smile like a moron the entire time.

When there was a quiet pause, she gave him a wistful look. "I know this is an unusual request, but I'm interested about you. How are you handling the role of CEO? I imagine it must be so hard for you seeing as you are filling in your father's shoes."

Derek's mouth parted in surprise. "I'm supposed to ask you questions, not the other way around," he said with a forced laugh.

Casey shrugged defensively, "I want to know who I'll be working for. I need to be prepared, that's just who I am, and there's very little information about you out there. I know it's unconventional, but I just want to know a little about you, because ultimately you are the soul to everything that happens here."

Derek grabbed his cup of coffee and drank it quickly, she was going to be annoying for sure. But that only made his confusion more frantic. "Well, it's not as glamorous as it looks. It's a stressful job, and ever since I took over, I'm faced with my dad's constant criticism. It's not fun in the slightest, but some people are just not meant to find their own dreams. I guess people with my position are expected to carry on the torch."

Casey's features softened, as if he had just revealed the darkest of secrets. He felt naked and exposed, it was much more information than he wanted to give her, but the words just came out. "Well, from what I've heard from Melody, you are really giving it your all, and that's admirable. Maybe you and I might be too different to ever get along personally, but you seem driven. And I want to work for you anyways."

Derek felt warmth spread through him, he felt himself losing control of the situation.This needed to end, before he did something stupid. "Okay, enough of the heart to heart. Do you want the job or not?"

Casey's entire face lit up, "Really?"

Derek stood up and walked towards the door. He heard her up behind him, "You don't seem completely incompetent. I guess we can give it a whirl."

When he opened the door, Casey reached for his hand to shake it. She was brimming with excitement, "Thank you so much, I promise I'll stay out of your way." 

Derek couldn't help but smile. They stayed under the door frame, shaking hands for what seemed like an eternity. He just wanted to push her against the door in that instant, but reluctantly pulled his hand away. "Oh you better. And go, before I change my mind. Melody will call you to set up your schedule."

Casey gave him another debilitating smile, and left. He stared after her, completely at a loss. What happened? He hired temptation, what the hell was he thinking? Casey Mcdonald, she came out of nowhere, and shook him up in a matter of hours. And he wasn't sure if hiring her was a mistake, but one thing he knew for certain. He couldn't allow himself to get close to her, and he would never allow himself to become dependent on anyone. He refused to burn once again. 

* * *

Author's Note: I wanted to change the circumstance and back stories of these characters, just to try something different. Please let me know what you think of the start, is this something that interests you? I'm always trying new things, and I thought this could be an interesting premise for these two. Please let me know what you thought of the first chapter :) 


	2. Disoriented

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thank you so much for the encouragement for this fic. I am trying to post as much as possible before school gets overwhelming :) Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. I absolutely loved coming up with their different backgrounds, and having the freedom to write their feelings without the repression you'd normally get with their step-sibling status, has been a lot of fun for me. I really want to keep true to the characters as much as possible, but I will definitely be adding my own spin. Thanks so much for reading, please leave any feedback as it helps in my planning process.
> 
> <3

Derek worked like a devil for months, he was exhausted and could feel himself getting to the point of delirium. The last few days, as Melody prepared Casey's contract, he had been extremely distracted. Casey certainly didn't help his insomnia. He dreamt of Casey several times, dreams that revolved Casey in that blazer, and him letting her hair loose. Dreams of kissing her, seducing the hell out of her, and her responding helplessly to him. Sleeping was the only escape from the pressures of his life, sometimes he just wanted to leave everything behind, start a new life and change his name. Maybe that was the reason Casey got his attention so severely, she was so different than anyone else, and thinking of her was a form of escape. The moment he left the firm after meeting her, he hooked up with someone in his contacts, just wanting desperately to forget about her. Maybe he just wanted what he couldn't have. It didn't work though, he found himself at random times thinking of those frosty blue eyes, while working out, eating, working, during a staff meeting, it was madness. What was ironic and funny, but not in a funny way, was that if he had met Casey a few years back, he would have definitely made a move on her. He wouldn't have thought twice about it, but the past jaded him. Made him cynical and angry. He was better off just jumping from bed to bed and keeping himself at a safe distance. Casey seemed innocent, but appearances were deceiving. Yet he couldn't stop thinking about her. There was too much holding him back now, he was messed up.

Seven years ago he was plucked out of his youth into grueling law school. The pressure was instantaneous. It was his father breathing down his neck at every turn, it was getting the blow by blow information on the company and constantly hearing his father's fear that his legacy would die with him. George made jokes about his younger brother Edwin being the smart one and how he wished he was the first born so he could pass the firm over to him. Surprisingly, Derek wasn't offended. George was right, Edwin was already smarter than him at the age of 16. Derek was just never the scholarly one, he struggled to do well in his grades which infuriated his father. Derek had a good relationship with Edwin regardless, thankfully his father's comments never hurt their relationship, but he would be lying if he said he was completely unaffected by his father's constant put downs. Marty, his youngest sister was the only good thing in his life. She was a teenager now, but when she was growing up, Marty would follow him around always, and she was cute, he loved her and was extremely protective of her. It was safe to say that the bond he had with his siblings, kept him going. His relationship with his mother, Abby, was also different. From one side, he had George's constant criticism, and his mother was the complete opposite. She spoiled him rotten ever since he could remember. She made no qualms about having it known that she favored Derek over his other siblings. Abby was extremely protective of him, and when he hit a low point in his life, she wanted to take down the people who hurt him. Dealing with polar opposite parents didn't help his stress level, that was for sure. Growing up, his parents were both quite absent, they were always busy and they grew up raised by nannies. To this day Phillipa, still worked there. She cared about the Venturi children, and Derek had more pleasant memories with Phillipa than he did with his own parents.

Five months ago, George announced one morning it was time for him to step back, and he immediately threw Derek to the wolves, literally speaking. He shadowed his father constantly for years, but he wasn't prepared for it to start immediately. The last year was the hardest in his entire life, not just professionally, but emotionally too. And he was pretty sure George was just tired of him moping around, and having an "attitude." Although his father knew why he was so out of it, he was ruthless, told him to get over it and would constantly remind him how lucky he was for everything he had. He was rich, he had everything he could ever need or want. He could go anywhere in the world in a moment on his father's private jet. He had his choice among girls, had plenty of buds, and had no real worries about anything, yet he felt alone. Every single day, people would gush over his status, and he'd get angry. If they only knew the amount of time spent alone in his mansion, just waiting for something to feel real. He wanted to move out of this house, but the thought of leaving his siblings alone, made him weary.

As he got ready for the day, he thought about Casey. He couldn't help it, it was as if she had infiltrated his entire being. "Derek," Edwin called through the door. "Dad wants to see you, and if I were you I'd hurry. He's upset."

Derek rolled his eyes, giving his hair one last comb through. "What's new? I'll be right down."

As he made his way out the room, he ran into his brother. "Ed, what are you doing?"

Edwin shrugged, giving him a silly smirk. "Just, I feel I haven't seen you in days. Is everything okay, bro?"

Derek pushed past him, "Trust me, you do not want to be around me."

Edwin followed behind him, "I see you're cranky, as always. Marty and I were chatting, maybe you need to take a long holiday. Go blow off some steam, and maybe takes us with you," he said with that playful tone.

Derek laughed dryly, "Oh and I suppose you think the old man would be okay with me just taking off? Don't be stupid, Ed," he said surlily. He immediately regretted being so rude, it wasn't Edwin's fault he was stretched thin.

"Oh, you're right. Didn't mean to upset you. I mean even CEO's get vacation right? And you have worked hours in and out."

Derek stopped and put his arm around him. It was frustrating not being able to get the freedom he wanted. "You didn't, you just have no idea how much I wish we could just go have fun. Why don't you let me think of something, worst case scenario I'll go to Mom, and let her take on dad," he said with a little smirk.

Edwin grinned, "Oh yeah, dad isn't scared of many people, but mom scares him. There's been times I've seen him hiding from her."

They laughed together as they made their way down the winding the stairs to the dining room area, and immediately the laughter faded as they noticed George at the end of the table with a newspaper. He had a stony look on his face. Derek gave Edwin the head motion of _get out of here unless you want to see blood shed_. Edwin gave Derek a quick pat on the back, before leaving him alone

Derek sat down, and started piling up his plate with food. He put on his usual unbothered smile, "So, did you get a chance to look over my report? Our number of cases solved, and won have beat last year's numbers."

George put his newspaper down roughly, "Yes I saw it, not bad for a rookie, but there can always be improvement. That's not what I want to talk to you about, though." Derek concealed his disappointment. He never got any praise, but "not bad for a rookie" would have to do. He sat back and waited for the impending insult. "I heard you hired a student right out of university, you know I like to keep in contact with HR. When I questioned them as to why they even bothered looking at her resume, they informed me you were the one that put the profile on their desk and explicitly asked for her to be interviewed, what's her name? Chasey McDonald?"

Derek looked up alertly. Yes it was true, Casey's resume stood out to him from the very beginning. He remember going through a pile of them and for some reason, hers stood out among the rest. His whole body tensed as he foresaw what he would say. "Casey," he corrected respectfully. "And yes, I was the one that wanted to meet her."

George gave him a stony look, "Derek, let me see if I get this straight. Our firm is one of the most prestigious in the country, we have the best lawyers. Lawyers that have worked for years and have put time into their careers. Casey might seem impressive, but hiring a brand new lawyer is extremely risky, the chances of her sinking our reputation is high."

Derek chewed his food carefully, trying to form the best defense possible. He thought of Casey, that passion she carried with her, and that was enough to get him to stop being a coward. "I know that's something we normally stay clear of. Dad I put thought into it. Firstly, we don't have a lot of women lawyers in our firm, that needed to change. Secondly, Casey was highly recommended. She was selected to do an internship, alongside a top professor. He highly recommended her, and when I interviewed her I realized we needed her. We need good, caring lawyers. She doesn't seem weak in the slightest."

George laughed humorlessly, "And let me guess, she's attractive on top of all those qualities? Trust me kid, been there done that, which is why I know what I'm talking about. And also, who the hell cares about someone being caring?"

Derek felt anger rise with in him, "Her looks had nothing to do with why I selected her resume. Before meeting her for the interview, I'd never seen her. And I care, lately all the lawyers hired recently are ruthless to a fault. We need different kinds of lawyers and Casey is kind, but aggressive. She has a lot of qualities I just couldn't pass up."

His father was eyeing him, " So she is attractive then?"

Derek rolled his eyes, was it that obvious Casey had him spinning? How did he know? "That is besides the point, her attractiveness had nothing to do with why I hired her." _Trust me, I didn't want to hire her for that very reason, but her work ended up speaking up for itself._ But he refused to open up with his father that way, he would only use the fact he felt attraction against him.

George drank his coffee, taking a moment to study him. "You're lack of maturity shows if you're going to let a pretty face take mess with your head. Seems typical of you, will you ever grow up?"

Derek was shaking with frustration, it was pointless trying to convince him. "I have never gone after anyone that works for me, you know that. I may be a rascal everywhere else, but I respect the firm. You can ask around if you want."

George sighed, but then pushed his plate back in fury. "Derek, this is going to come back and bite you in the ass. And I need to be truthful, you're not the best at deciphering people's character. Do we really need to go down memory lane?"

Derek started to shake his head, immediately felt sick to his stomach. "No, don't go there. Please."

George was far gone now, clearly he needed to make the point. "Savitha. You put your hands in the fire for her, and how did she repay you?"

Derek groaned inwardly, the reminder of Savitha reopened old wounds, and he felt himself becoming enraged.

George kept talking, though, unbothered by Derek's sudden agony. "Stop thinking with emotions, kid. You need to think logically, and be more cutthroat. We didn't become the best by hiring hot, sweet natured lawyers. We succeeded because we chose the best possible. Call Casey, and cancel her contract, it's an order."

Derek was quiet for a moment, internalizing all of his words. He used Savitha to make the point, but yet the little he knew about Casey, she was different. Casey was NOT Savitha. And also he wasn't going to let himself get emotionally involved with Casey. It would be strictly professional. Yet as his father watched him with raptor eyes, and dominance, he felt something extreme protectiveness go over him. Casey didn't deserve to be cast aside just because she had little experience or because she was beautiful, it seemed unfair and unprogressive. He slowly got up, and dropped his napkin on the plate.

"Dad, you entrusted your Firm to me. And with it, you have given me freedom to decide what is best for us. I will not cancel Casey's contract, she seems too valuable to give up. I will however, make sure she had the best training possible, although trust me, I know she doesn't need it. But I'll do that to make you feel better."

George stood up angrily, towering over him. "Ricardo is one of our top lawyers, he's far too busy to train Chasey, or whatever her name is."

Derek kept the steady eye contact, "Ricardo won't train her, I will." 

George laughed without amusement, "You? Oh please, sure you're getting better in your role, but you son are not the best. But hey, I do like a gamble once in a while. If I'm right, and Casey fails in her role, you give up your role as CEO, and if you win, I promise never to intervene again."

Derek stared at his father's outstretched hand. All he could see was Casey now, those daunting, determined eyes. There was no way Casey would fail, he just knew it. And before he could process what he was doing, he was shaking his father's hand. If Casey didn't work out, which he highly doubted, then he would get what he always wanted, freedom away from the firm. And if she stays then he would finally get his father's trust. Either way, he wins. "Deal, now if you excuse me, I have work to do."

Derek turned away from him, angry beyond belief. Would there ever be a day where his father didn't interrogate all his choices? He couldn't believe he brought up Savitha. He had put that woman out of his mind for good, but the reminder of her name made him bitter. He drove to work in a fury. When he got to the office, he stopped by Melody's desk. 

"Melody, can you get Casey McDonald on the line for me? I am personally setting up her schedule. Just taking another task off your list for the day," he said charmingly.

Melody gave him a huge smile. "Are you sure? It's no bother," she said sweetly, "I'm not overworked in the slightest."

He walked towards his office, "Certain of it, please put her on the line."

Derek sat at his desk, grinning against his own will. Just the thought of talking to Casey, made him frustratingly excited. He saw the line blinking and picked up the phone.

"Casey McDonald speaking," she said formally.

Derek couldn't help but smile, "Miss McDonald. It's Derek Venturi." He had the satisfaction of hearing her rattled breathing over the phone.

"Mr. Venturi," she said in a high and squeaky voice, "Hello, how are you?"

He was tempted to flirt so badly, and it was a struggle to fight against his usual tendencies. "Fine thank you. I'm sorry we didn't get back to you sooner."

She did a little intake of air, "Oh, don't worry about it. I wasn't stressing over it," she said with a nervous laugh. 

Derek wanted to laugh, he could just imagine her freaking out like the keener he knew she was. "Just wanted to let you know I expect to see you tomorrow at 9 am."

"Tomorrow?" She echoed back excitedly, "Yes of course, I will be there promptly. What is expected of me upon arrival?"

"Check in with Melody, she will give you a tour. And Casey?"

"Yes sir," she said politely.

He rested against his chair, closing his eyes tightly, savoring the sound of her voice. "No need to be so formal with me, call me Derek."

Casey sighed deeply, even through a phone he could just imagine her. She was probably pacing around, trying to control her words after the events of the interview. "That wouldn't be appropriate, Mr. Venturi," she said with determination. "But I look forward to starting, thank you so much for the opportunity."

Derek smiled into the phone, and he just couldn't hold back, and chuckled softly. "Aw, must you always be so proper? Live a little, I promise I won't fire you for calling me by my first name."

Casey hesitated but then gave in, "Thank you for calling," she paused, "Derek."

Hearing her say his name made him irrationally happy, "Well, see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, you as well Mr-" she stopped, "Derek. And thank you."

He grinned, "Goodbye," and he waited for her to hang up.

Casey was in for a surprise, now that his father was so set against him hiring her, he would ensure he looked out for her. He would make sure Casey became the best new lawyer anyone's ever seen. Plus there was the added bonus of having a reason to be around her. 

* * *

Casey hung up the phone, and nearly fell over from the nerves. She had waited almost five days for Melody to call, and for a moment she feared Derek had changed his mind in hiring her. Not that she would have blamed him, she was the least professional she ever was, and then hearing his voice made her mind go completely blank. This was a dream come true, but the whole week she couldn't seem to stop thinking. It wasn't unusual for her, her mind was always frantically working, but now Derek was so much on the front of her mind, and she hated it. Emily came into the living room, they were best friends for years and she was now her roommate. 

"What's wrong Casey?" She went over slowly as she noticed Casey's odd breathing.

Casey looked at her, and slowly smiled. "Derek Venturi called me personally, I start tomorrow," she said with a nervous laugh.

Emily's dark eyes twinkled with excitement, "No way, he called you personally?" She squealed with and gave her a hug. "I told you they would call, and thank goodness he did, I was worried about your mental health since you haven't slept well or eaten in days."

Casey felt herself relax entirely, she sat down with a slump of relief. It had been a lot on her, especially after going over the interview with time to think. "I just can't believe he actually gave me a chance, I mean he wasn't exactly sweet, but I should have known better."

Emily suddenly pulled out her phone. She had a sappy look on her face, "Well, you know how I love researching people, as a journalist I am very good at tracking down information when I need it. I found a picture of Mr. Venturi," she gave Casey a teasing smile. "How come you didn't mention how sexy he was?"

Casey's face colored, she did talk about him in excess, but left out _that_ factor. "Emily, he was a jerk, why does it matter what he looks like?" She said with a little tilt of her chin. 

Emily studied the picture, and Casey felt a little annoyed by her drooling over him, "You're telling me you saw this man, and felt nothing, not even a crush?" She inquired. Emily was very perceptive, and she tried not to get flustered by her questions.

"Please, he's so not my type," she thought back to their conversation in his office. Sure, Derek had a certain appeal that could pass as irresistible to some women, she did see the way Melody reacted to him. 

Emily continued to ogle the photo and gave her a questioning glance, "You mean sexy, charismatic, charming and rich doesn't appeal to you?"

Casey hid her face away from Emily. "I don't care how sexy he is, our personalities do not gel well together. Everyone says he's charming, but I didn't see any of that. I also don't care how rich he is, I care more about the soul of a person."

Emily rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Gosh Casey, must you always overthink every question? I'm not asking you to give your thorough analysis on his personality or worthiness, all I want to know is if you found him attractive, if you noticed him. I just find it hard to believe you weren't caught off guard by him. Did you find him attractive, it's a simple question."

Casey looked down, bringing back to her mind Derek's face. Oh, he was definitely attractive. But she was not shallow, she didn't just get carried away by appearances. Thinking about him that way made her uncomfortable, she wasn't supposed to find Derek attractive, he was her boss. She sighed deeply at last. "Emily, attractive doesn't do it justice. God spoiled him. He's attractive if you're only looking at the physical. And then you add the determination to do well in his job on his own, and he almost seems appealing, but then he opened his mouth and everything else seemed to disappear."

Emily clapped her hands with excitement, "I know his status isn't important, but there's something about abut a hot CEO that makes him sound so enticing. He sounds like he could charm a rock, just be careful Casey."

Casey felt that warning hit her over the head. "Why do you say that?"

"You can't let Mr. Gorgeous distract you, because it's either you move up into the most prestigious firm and make it professionally, or you become the woman who "seduced" her boss. You can't have both."

Casey was mortified. As if she would ever go that low to seduce her own boss, that would never happen in a million years. " Emily, you must be joking. I'm not some sort of floozy! I am professional to a fault, me seducing Derek Venturi? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

Emily shook her head, clearly she had poked the bear. "I'm not saying you'll seduce him. Trust me, I know even if you wanted to your goody-good mind wouldn't allow it. I'm just saying he could end up seducing you. And you wouldnt see it coming, it would hit you over the head before you knew it. I know I would fall head over heels for someone like him." Emily left Casey alone with her thoughts.

Derek seducing her was a thought too outlandish to even consider. She was the type of person that wanted a man of quality, a romantic, respectful and sweet. None of those qualities seemed to be Derek Venturi. And he clearly didn't see her as a viable option, he made that clear, he hardly saw her as a human. She got ready for bed and with determination tossed and turned, trying not to think about him anymore. No, she was the most careful person there was, that would never happen. As she fell asleep, she was tormented by those dark, teasing eyes, falling into a deep slumber.

Casey woke up at 4 am, she needed all the time in the world to get herself ready for her first day at work. For someone like her, preparedness was a blessing and a curse. It consumed her mind, and she had so much to prove. She had received the sweetest video from her mother and sister, encouraging her. Lizzie was her little cheerleader, always had been. It made her so happy to have their support. As she showered, and got herself ready, she couldn't help it. Derek came to her mind, it wasn't that she was intrigued by him, but the fact he called her personally was perplexing after that mess of an interview. She put on a maroon blazer and matching pencil skirt over a white buttoned blouse. As she drove to the firm, she took steady breaths. She had gone to see her therapist, Paul a few days earlier, and he had been extremely encouraging. He taught her some breathing techniques, and as she practiced she kept telling herself words of affirmation.

She went up the elevator, and smiled despite her nerves. This was her chance. She found Melody at her desk talking to someone on the phone, but she noticed her and gave her a little wave. Casey's eyes went to Derek's office, and a little wistful smile went over her face remembering that interview.

"Casey," Melody got up and approached her with a bounce and excitement. This girl looked like a ray of sunshine in a person. "I was so happy when I heard you would be working with us, if you ever need anything I'm around to help."

Casey smiled brightly, shaking her hand respectfully. "You're so sweet, thank you."

Melody waved her over to her desk, and she sat down. "Here's your contract, you need to look over it, and if you have any questions you can leave them with me, and I'll pass it on to HR."

Casey studied the document slowly and thoroughly. Licensed General Attorney, that would be her role. She felt a wave of excitement as she read all the details of the job. The pay was incredible, the benefits were better than she'd ever dream. Melody was studying her keenly. "You look like a lawyer," she said with enthusiasm.

Casey laughed nervously, "Oh thank goodness, at least I look like one." After signing different forms, Melody went over them and with a little nod of approval put them in an envelope. 

"Alright Casey, I am giving you a tour, and then afterwards Mr. Venturi will speak to you," Casey looked at her with surprise. Why would Derek need to speak with her? Melody must have sensed her confusion. "Oh, he didn't tell you?"

Casey shook her head, oh dear, was she in trouble already? Melody rubbed her arm sweetly. "Mr. Venturi will be training you directly, he will be with you the majority of the week."

Casey's eyes went wide, she felt her heart beat ferociously in her throat. "He's training me? Is that in his job description?"

Melody got up, and Casey followed her as they walked through the firm. "No, consider it an honor, he must have been impressed by you."

"Or he's worried I will crash and burn," she said jokingly, but she wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the case.

Melody laughed breathily, "I doubt it, Mr. Venturi is just so enthusiastic about learning every position. He's special that way," Casey couldn't help but catch the tone of longing in her voice. 

As they moved through the firm, Melody showed her the briefing room, introduced her to different attorneys. She showed her the case room, and explained how there was a seniority system when it came to cases, so not to expect the grand cases right away. But once she was established, and she built a good reputation, then more cases would land on her lap. Melody was so sweet, but it was clear a lot of the attorneys had an air of superiority. She could feel them silently assessing her, as if trying to figure out if she'd be some kind of competition. Melody led her to someone's office. "This is Ricardo Garcia's office, he's the top lawyer in our firm."

Casey peeked in, and saw a tall, tanned man with raven hair, jet black eyes, and an easy smile. "Hi Melody," he said in a soothing voice, "Who's your friend?" Ricardo's gaze went to her, he had an intense way of looking at her, he was intimidating, but when he smiled he seemed approachable. 

"Hi, I'm Casey Mcdonald, I just got hired as a general attorney. It's a pleasure to meet you." Ricardo nodded curtly, and came forward seizing her hand in a powerful grasp.

"Well, aren't you a delight?" He said smoothly, Casey was surprised by how blunt he was.

Melody piped up, "Ricardo is considered your supervisor. He will be the one to go to if you need anything case related. He was supposed to give you the orientation, but, as I mentioned Mr. Venturi wanted to do it."

Ricardo laughed, his musical tone suffused her with friendliness. "Well, if I had known who you were, I might have fought Derek to do it. It wouldn't have been a problem for me at all."

Casey smiled sheepishly, and Melody pulled her arm to get her moving away. "We'll carry on then," Ricardo gave her one last smile, and they left. 

Melody turned to her immediately, concern vivid in her green eyes. "Don't mind Ricardo, he's a big flirt. Hope he didn't make you feel weird. He happens to be Derek's friend, and their families have known each other for years, which is why Ricardo can come off a little cocky."

Somehow Casey wasn't surprised he was friends with Derek, they were similar. After a while, Melody took her up the elevator. She felt much better, until she got led to Derek's office and waited for Derek to call her in. Casey took a huge gulp of air, somehow felt she needed it to be in his presence once more. She heard Derek through the intercom telling her to come in. Melody gave her a little nod, and for some reason Casey found herself fixing her skirt and rearranging her hair.

Melody laughed behind her. "You look incredible, don't even worry about it." Casey blushed, she wasn't trying to impress him, but it was clear it looked that way. 

With a deep breath, she opened the door. Derek was standing in the middle of his office, hands in his pockets, leaning up against his desk. His brown, warm eyes, creased up as he smiled. He looked even more gorgeous than the last time she saw him, it didn't seem possible, but it was true. His gaze went over her in a slow burn, and she had to remind herself to breathe. "Miss McDonald," he said it slowly with a hint of amusement.

"Good morning," she tried to come off as neutral as possible, but her voice came out all weak and quiet. "I heard you will be training me directly."

He nodded solemnly, watching her intently. "Is that a problem?" he said with that teasing tone. "You look sorely disappointed by the looks of it."

Casey gasped, already feeling like she was making a bad impression again. "Oh no, please forgive me if I look unenthused, it's just I was surprised by it. You are a busy man, and I didn't know you would have to be the one to train me."

Derek laughed gently, the sound of it wrapping around her, it was hard not to smile. "Well, I needed to make sure you felt comfortable, seeing as you have no real experience. Trust me, once you are trained, you will hardly see me. Shall we?" He said as he moved towards the door, giving her arm a little tug to follow him. She snapped into action, following his brisk pace.

Derek led her to the elevator, and they went in. As the door closed, she breathed in sharply. She could feel his gaze on her, and she tried to keep her eyes on her shoes. "How's your morning so far?" 

Casey glanced at him slowly, trying to look grateful and excited to be there. "So far, I still can't believe this is really happening."

Derek smiled, and she got caught up in the silence of the moment. She tried so hard not to look at him, but his gaze was steadily on her, and it made her insanely nervous. As the elevator came to a sharp stop, she tripped slightly on her feet, falling on Derek with a strong force. He hit the side of the wall with a loud thud, he caught her fall, and his arms went around her securely. It took Casey a moment to realize she had Derek pinned, she looked up at him startled out of her mind. He was smirking down at her, and she could feel her heart racing wickedly. The firm feel of his body molded to her body like a glove. She found herself taking in his aroma, he wore some cologne, but she could detect his scent underneath, it was subtly alluring. She was aware of his hands on her back, imparting a gentle pressure. One moment with Derek alone, and she was pinning him to the wall. Emily would have gotten a kick out of this for sure. She couldn't seem to look away, or move, everything in her just stopped working. Those eyes were so unfathomably rich and intense. One second felt like an eternity.

"Well, on top of all your impressive qualities, you are also a klutz," his voice curled around her like fog. "You're just full of surprises."

Casey turned scarlet, "I'm so sorry, I have poor coordination skills," she said abashedly. She straightened up, trying to put distance between them. Derek let go of her, with a low chuckle. She started to ramble, "Clearly I wasn't honest about all my weaknesses."

The elevator door opened and she got out of it lightning fast, desperately trying to recollect herself. She heard him laughing beside her, "I wouldn't call it a weakness, just an extremely funny quirk. Sorry to break it to you, but there's nothing graceful about you. You're as clumsy as a panda bear." Any enchantment she felt for a split second smashed into pieces. She stopped and gave him a piercing look. There was a teaspoon of teasing in his eyes that made her fiery side come alive. Embarrassment clouded her mind. Clearly Derek had no filtering system, he could say whatever he wanted without a second thought. 

He must have sensed her fury, "You're insulted over being compared to a panda bear? Well did you know they could rip a person to shreds? Looks like I may have been right, you look absolutely deadly right now," he said with a grin.

That did it. "You just compared me to an animal, how could you Derek?" 

Derek laughed, and looked thoroughly amused, but continued walking, and she followed him silently. Casey tried to take a breath. So he made a joke, it was warranted, yet for some reason, she took it as if he had insulted her entire being. What was wrong with her? When Derek led her to a small, but nice looking office he leaned up against the door, and turned his attention back to her. She clearly had a look of annoyance on her face, and he was just smiling at her discomfort, the jerk!

"Clearly you have a horrible sense of humor," he teased.

Casey couldn't help herself, "Oh so you would find it funny if I made such a remark to you?"

Derek's eyes sizzled with challenge. "By all means, go for it. But you don't seem to have a mean bone in your body."

Casey took a steady breath, and he motioned for her to go in the room. "Maybe this will cheer up, check out your new office." 

Any annoyance she had over Derek's remarks went away as she took in her office. She walked by the window, she was in the fourth floor, with a great view of the city. There was a desk, a nice chair, a little coffee maker. She noticed her degree over her desk, there was something about seeing it so proudly displayed that filled her with giddiness. There was a client chair, a couch, and the walls were a nice mauve color. A smile took over her face, "This is so beautiful," she breathed.

Derek nodded in agreement, "Melody really went all out for you. She must like you."

Casey couldn't help but clap her hands and jump with excitement. "I'm a lawyer, me a lawyer. It's official," she said with pride. "This has got to be the most amazing day of my life, even with your remarks." She said giving him a little eye roll, but he didn't seem offended by it. In fact, it only made him smile wider. 

"Alright, save the happy feet for later, we have work to do. Ideally I would like to go over everything with you today, and for the rest of the week I will simply be shadowing you as you deal with clients." Casey turned to look at him, he seemed to be enjoying her discomfort at the thought.

"Oh I see," she tried not to sound to disappointed by the fact. A whole week with him? So far she failed at being respectful, something about him that irked her and overwhelmed her usual calculated and thorough thinking mind. But, she was so excited to start working. "Well, I'm ready," she said with a keen and interested smile and pulled out a notebook to jot down any important information.

Derek pulled over a chair, and sat beside her, turning her computer on. "I hope you can keep up," he said with a soft laugh as he noticed her waiting expectantly. She gave him a brief nod, and looked at him with renewed challenge. As nerdy as it was, she was so excited to learn, and she was practically jumping in her seat. Derek just rolled his eyes and with a little smirk said, "You're such a keener."

Within a few moments, Casey sat there in complete fascination as Derek's whole attitude suddenly change. Teasing and jerk Derek vanished, and in his place a professional man came out of nowhere. He showed her all the programs on her computer, explained all the routines of the firm. He went over the weekly staff meetings, what they would entail, he went over the expectations of the company. He was still Derek, in the sense he would throw a joke here and there, but he was so focused on giving her all the information. She found herself deeply mesmerized by his knowledge. He was also quite lively, he had the kind of presence that made her want to listen to him. He had a vision, and she sat there in complete awe of him. He wasn't just a pretty face, he seemed driven, educated and smart but in a very different way than her. He explained the seniority system, and told her with the sheer amount of cases the firm had, the chances of her being over worked was high. Although he would pretend annoyance at her sheer amount of questions, there was subtle amusement in his eyes. Yet he was patient, answering every question with confidence. He took the time to respond to her detailed inquiries, despite her wanting constant clarification. He would take a breath, smile, and then explain it again. Emily's words came back to haunt her, she was right CEO Derek was extremely attractive. It wasn't the fact he was rich, it was this innate confidence, charisma, and a powerful presence that made him so appealing . She tried to shake off those thoughts, but then suddenly Derek was doing something else to make her even more mesmerized. She tried telling herself this was just his work act, it wasn't truly him, but she found herself stealing glances when he was looking at documents, or going over things on the computer. He didn't seem to just be working there because he got handed a company, he seemed to truly care about the firm, and she couldn't help but admire that.

As Casey was going through the filing system, Derek watched her. It was completely distracting. "How am I doing so far?" She asked shyly.

Derek leaned against the wall, and observed her up and down bluntly. A smile touched his lips. "You're a little uptight, try to relax. I realize this is a serious firm, but you are allowed to relax and have fun once in a while." As if she could relax when he was staring at her like that.

Casey looked at him with surprise, and laughed with derision. "Work and fun in the same sentence? No, I'm either having fun or working, I will never mix the two."

He pursed his lips ruefully, "I'm not telling you to throw a party, although that would be hilarious. I'm telling you to just live a little, smile, laugh, make fun of me if you want. You need to act like a person."

Casey's mouth gaped open, "Act like a person, what's that supposed to mean?"

He put up his hands in a defensive motion. "Your clients will need to see the human side of you in order to trust you. So if you smile, or joke or you know just relax, they will relax. But if you're all tense and work-focused, you loose connection. As much as I love anything robot-themed, I prefer my lawyers to act like people," he said with a little wink.

Everything Derek was saying made sense, but she couldn't help feeling judged and scrutinized. Casey's thoughts were suddenly on the surface and she needed to ask. "Derek," she said shakily. "May I ask why you're the one personally training me? Do you regret hiring me, or do you not believe I'm capable? I was told you never do this, it just makes me wonder if you are checking up on me. I realize I may deserve it, our interactions have been all over the place, but have I done something wrong?" She slowly looked at him, and he looked rattled. 

"You're right, I never do this. Can I be honest?" He looked away from her, and she was frightened by what the reason could be. "The truth is we've never had a freshly graduate before. It's not that I don't trust you, I just want to make sure you know what you're doing, because let's face it anything that goes wrong with the people I hire, reflects poorly on me."

Casey faltered, dropping a couple documents due to the nerves. She quickly picked them up, and tried to form the words. "Trust me, I know you took a risk hiring me. And believe me, I want to prove to you that I was worth it. I also don't want to make you look bad. Just, please have patience it's all I ask."

Derek smiled, and nodded curtly. "Okay, I guess I could give you a little patience, but don't take it for granted, alright?" She let go of a breath, and thanked him. He suddenly started walking towards the door. "Why don't you take the time to organize your office. I'm sure you're just dying to put everything in order. I'll be back later. Just relax, princess," he said soothingly, "You're overthinking , believe it or not we both want the same end result." He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "And Case?"

Casey felt a strong reaction to him calling her 'Case', it seemed so personal. She met that vivid gaze slowly. "Smile, it's an order."

Casey could feel herself sputtering nervously, and he just raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to give in. And she smiled. How could she not? He was extremely persuasive, and begrudgingly realized he was right. She needed to lighten up. He seemed pleased, and left without another word. She looked at her watch, it was only noon. She was going to have a full week of Derek being around her, of being around his teasing and jokes and at the same time, his sophisticated persona. It was confusing how two completely different personalities could exist in one person, he was a mystery, and she felt a drive with in her. She wanted to know who he was, and why he acted so differently towards her. 

* * *

Derek took a moment to collect his thoughts. Damn, being around Casey that long almost felt like slow suffocation. She made it extremely difficult to breathe, or act normally. Did he just ask her to smile? It was so random, but he couldn't help himself. She seemed slightly upset over him shadowing her, and before he knew it, he was asking her to smile for him. And she did, it made his breathing stagger in his throat. She was so damn beautiful, it was killing him. He closed his eyes. He thought of that moment in the elevator. He could still feel the way she felt up against him, the softness of her, how fricken cute she was when she got all embarrassed. He didn't recognize his own actions. Did he compare her to a panda bear? He chuckled, it was either that or tell her she could fall on him anytime she wanted. 

And then there was the last two hours of Casey watching him intently, asking a million questions, and clearly seemed deeply attuned to his words. Having her whole attention was extremely distracting. He threw himself into the work, tried to give her all the information he could, not only to beat his father, but because he wanted her to succeed. He tried not to look at her too long, or tried to focus on tasks but she was hard to ignore. He needed to get a grip. Taking breaks away from her was the only way to keep himself in check.

"Derek," Ricardo came up behind him slapping his shoulder, hard. "I just found out you are training the new lawyer, and I just met her. Man I would happily train her, I know you're busy I could have done it. She seems.....keen," he said with obvious interest.

Derek could feel a singular wave of jealousy hit him. He wasn't stupid, he knew Ricardo had no problem sleeping with his coworkers. And that was something he looked away from, but the thought of him trying to bed Casey made his blood stop surging.

"First off, Casey isn't that kind of women, so if I were you I'd look elsewhere. And my father didn't want you distracted, seems he was right to get me to do it." He tried to smile, to come off lighthearted, but he felt annoyance.

Ricardo looked completely smitten, and a stupid smirk went over his face. "She's a babe, where did she come from? Yeah , I can tell she's the serious type, only makes me want her more."

Derek felt a cold smile go over his face. The dynamic with Ricardo was different. They were friends for years, went to the same school, and their fathers worked together. He was a few years older than Derek, but they always got along well. Derek had seen him at his worst, partied with him, and had a list of crazy things they did together. It was hard to separate their friendship to strictly professional. Ricardo was a very good lawyer though. 

Derek forced a laugh. "Ricky, let me offer you some advice. Casey seems like the type to raise a sexual misconduct charge on you. Trust me, she's not your usual type. Let her be, she seems to want to actually want to work, okay?"

Ricardo gave him an unsavory smile. "Seems to me she's made quite the impression on you, though I don't blame you. Sucks to be a CEO sometimes doesn't it?"

Derek rolled his eyes, and made himself look completely offended. "Please, you know nerd is not my type. Casey is not a problem for me. I'm just telling you what I noticed. She's the career driven type, I doubt she would ever tangle that with anything personal."

Ricardo groaned with exasperation. "Fine, guess I'll just have to admire her from the distance. See you around," he left Derek alone with his thoughts.

Like hell, he would let Ricardo near her. Casey was not for him, she was too good for him. That jealousy consumed him, and it took him a moment to realize he had his fists clenched. What the hell ? He needed to get a grip. He took a deep breath and went towards Casey's office. When he looked in the office, he stopped. Casey had put on some music and she was organizing her office. Casey was dancing as she moved around the office, in a little world of her own. She was smiling brightly, that was clearly the face of someone who made her dreams come true, and she was finally letting herself be happy. Her dancing was lively, and every move she made was precise, and she was incredible. Casey the lawyer, the nerd, the goody-good, and keener, the girl who just told him she'd never mix fun and work together, was now dancing, and doing a very good damn job of it. She was sexy as hell. He couldn't help questioning if she lightened up because of him. He closed his eyes, trying to control all his thoughts, but he couldn't stop the burning desire. The more he got to know her, the more he wanted her, and that terrified him. He shook his head stubbornly. _No, get it together._ _It's time to get a grip, man. You will not lose control, there's too much at stake._


End file.
